Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022

THE DECEMBER KA'Ū PLANT OF THE MONTH for Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū is ʻIliahi (Santalum paniculatum). The column is by Jodie Rosam, with art by Joan Yoshioka.

    Description: ʻIliahi is Hawaiʻi’s endemic sandalwood tree species in the family Santalaceae, which has about 1,000 species worldwide. All of the endemic Santalum species (and varieties) are differentiated by the environments in which they grow. This species in particular can grow as a shrub or small tree and tends to be somewhat bushy with more than one main stem. ʻIliahi reach between 3-10 meters (approximately 10-30 feet) in height with a crown that spans about half of the height of the tree, and grow rather slowly (as do many of our native tree species).

    ʻIliahi can be recognized by their glossy leaves, fragrant flowers (which can be white or red), and deep purple-black fruits. Because of its aromatic wood, native sandalwoods were harvested to near extinction in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

    Traders frequently disobeyed the kapu on ʻiliahi harvesting laid by Kamehameha I, which limited cutting rights to the chiefs. However, ʻiliahi was still collected and shipped overseas in vast quantities measured by the shipload, and the ecological toll that this commercial venture took resulted in one of the worst famines in history. Because so many were involved in the harvesting, day-to-day activities related to growing and harvesting food were neglected, resulting in food shortages. Many makaʻāinana (common people) lost their lives harvesting ʻiliahi due to exposure, malnutrition, and disease. This serves as a very unfortunate reminder that over-exploitation of our natural environment and economic greed can have devastating and long lasting effects and far-reaching impacts.

'Iliahi at 'Ainahou. Photo by J. Robinson

    Uses: Because of the fragrant essential oil found within the heartwood, the wood of ʻiliahi was used as a final touch to perfume traditional kapa. ʻIliahi leaves were ground and used as a modern-day medicated shampoo, and the wood was sometimes used to make ʻūkēkē (musical bows). The fragrant flowers were used in lei making. Today, ʻiliahi is still being logged (which continues to be a controversial topic), though there are groups trying to reforest large areas with sandalwood in hopes to sustainably supply the essential oil industry with ʻiliahi’s precious oils.
    Habitat:ʻIliahi species used to be found in all environmental ranges across the main Hawaiian Islands, although its range is now extremely limited. This species in particular (and its varieties) can be found in dry, mesic, and even wet forests in exposed lava fields, cinder cones, dry woodlands, and even upper elevation ʻōhiʻa forests. In Kaʻū, ʻiliahi are scattered throughout Kahuku (in Ocean View), and also in fragmented dry forest patches within Kiolakaʻa and Waiʻōhinu.
    Growing and Purchasing: A super fun fact about ʻiliahi is that it is a hemiparasitic species, meaning that it obtains water and nutrients from a host plant growing nearby, and does not grow well in the absence of one (we all need a good friend, right?). If you are lucky to collect ripe (dark purple-black) fruits, sew them while they are fresh. Remove the fleshy pulp around the seed, scarify them with your favorite method (I like to knick the seed coat with nail clippers), and place them in a well-drained media mixture such as perlite and vermiculite. Keep them in the shade, and when seedlings need to be repotted, add a host plant to the pot. They prefer about 60% shade until they establish their roots to those of the host plant, at which point they are able to be hardened into full sun. Just make sure that they are not waterlogged. Adding ʻiliahi to your landscape will not only give you two new plant friends (ʻiliahi + host), but will give you the warm, fuzzy feeling knowing that you are doing your part to re-establish a special species and mend the mistakes of the past.

A NATIONAL SHARK FINNING BAN PASSED the U.S Senate Thursday with help from Sen. Brian Schatz. The bill previously passed the House under the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2023, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign. The Senate passed the bill with an 83 to 11 vote. The NDAA passed in the House on Dec. 8 with a 350 to 80 vote.

Shark finning will be banned throughout the United States when President Joe Biden signs the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. Photo from Aquatic Life Divers and Big Island Divers

    Schatz Tweeted, “We just passed a national ban on on the immoral and brutal practice of shark finning. Thanks to @CoryBooker and @SenatorCantwell and @SenSchumer and @SpeakerPelosi for making this happen. A shark fin ban was the first bill I passed when I was 26, so for me this is full circle.
    “And this bill on its way to the President’s desk also has a bunch of very important other ocean protections bills, authored by @SenWhitehouse and others, and including a coral reef bill w @marcorubio. By far the biggest package of oceans legislation in many years.”

    Hawai'i banned the practice of finning - which usually leaves the rest of the shark in the ocean to die. It went into effect this year. It is the first state to do so. Governor  David Ige signed Act 51 into law last year. The law makes it illegal for anyone to "knowingly capture, entangle, or kill any species of shark in Hawai'i waters." First offenders are charged with a misdemeanor and can be fined $500 with up to $10,000 for any repeat offenses. The fine applies to each individual shark captured or killed. Offenders may also have their vessel and fishing equipment seized and their commercial marine license suspended.
    The NDAA authorizes Department of Defense activities for FY2023 and addresses other issues. According to the bill’s website, it will:

• authorize the procurement of various items, including destroyers and aircraft;
• modify inventory requirements for various Air Force programs;
• authorize DOD to furnish electric vehicle charging stations at commissary stores and military exchanges;
• require DOD to provide, subject to appropriations, support for the research and development of innovative bioindustrial manufacturing processes;
• require DOD to carry out a pilot program to facilitate the transition of certain nontactical vehicles to electric vehicles;

• require the Army and the Navy to jointly carry out a pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of using data recorders to monitor the operation of military tactical vehicles;
• prescribe end strengths for the branches of the Armed Forces;
• require the branches of the Armed Forces to notify Congress before taking certain actions regarding reserve units, such as the deactivation or reassignment of such a unit;
• require the Army to establish gender-neutral fitness standards for military occupational specialties that are higher than those for noncombat military occupational specialties;
• require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to Congress recommendations for improving the retention and recruitment of members who specialize in Army air and missile defense systems, and requires the Army to implement the recommendations;
• require the GAO to report to Congress a review of a major military health contract after DOD has entered into the contract;
• temporarily prohibit certain TRICARE programs (health care programs that cover current and former members of the uniformed services and their dependents) from imposing cost-sharing requirements for prescription contraceptives and certain related services;
• require the Department of Homeland Security to designate a laboratory as the Chemical Security Analysis Center;
• require the Department of the Treasury to take actions to support international initiatives to provide debt restructuring and relief to developing countries;
• prohibit federal regulators from taking certain adverse actions against a depository institution solely for providing financial services to a cannabis-related business operating pursuant to state or local law;
• provide statutory authority for an April 27, 2021, executive order raising the minimum wage for the employees of federal contractors;
• prohibit barring a veteran from federal employment solely because the veteran consumes or has consumed cannabis;
• impose data standards requirements on certain federal agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and
• establish the San Gabriel National Recreation Area in California as a unit of the National Park System.

    Learn more at congress.gov.

A shaka and shorts for Santa at St. Jude's  Keiki Christmas Party on Saturday. Photo by Ed Rau

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.A FREE CHRISTMAS CRAFT EVENT tomorrow is held by Parents Inc. Ka'ū from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 95-5657 Mamalahoa Hwy, Unit 5 in Nā’ālehu. Open to all, attendees can make stocking stuffers and ornaments, and enjoy the free food and music on offer. See hawaiiparents.org or call 808-333-3460.